After eight years of giving up everything to care for my paralyzed husband, I cried with joy when I watched him take his first steps.

One week later, those same hands that had fed him, bathed him, and held him through his darkest days were shaking as I held divorce papers—and learned the truth that destroyed me.

My name is Emily. I’m 44 years old and a mother of two. My children were the only reason I survived the hardest years of my life.

I married David at 28, young and deeply in love. He was charming, ambitious, and successful—an attorney with a growing firm and a confident smile that drew people in. Our early marriage felt perfect. We built a life, bought a home, and planned a future together.
When our first child was born, we were overjoyed. By the time our second arrived, David’s career was strong enough that I chose to leave mine and stay home. I wanted to be present for our children. David supported the decision and told me I was doing the right thing.